THIN-HEELED SHOES. EXPERIMENTS. 151 



the hard-paved streets of the city ; but, to my surprise, in a 

 few weeks they got over the soreness, the feet became strong 

 and healthy, and he had no trouble with corns or weak heels." 

 I noticed, long ago, that when the shoe was worn thin, letting 

 the frog and sole have contact with the ground, and espe- 

 cially in horses that were worked on sod that would give and 

 press upon the heel, the feet were the most healthy and strong, 

 and less disposed to contract. I have noted also that healthy 

 feet that were shod with thick or high-heeled shoes, that raises 

 the frog and sole from all contact with the ground, soon 

 became dry ; and if the foot was at all disposed to contract, 

 there was a rapid drawing in or contracting of the heels. 

 One of my horses had his shoes worn down quite thin : the 

 feet were in good condition, though not over strong, having 

 been foundered, and suffered from contraction, which I cured 

 by the treatment I give for contraction under that head. 

 One shoe was lost, and in the hurry of business I was unable 

 to give my personal attention to his shoeing. A heavy, 

 coarse shoe, with large heel and toe corks, was put on. The 

 heel was raised at least three-fourths of an inch from the 

 ground. I pointed out at once the defect, and said I in- 

 tended to have the shoe replaced by 

 a flat, thin shoe. But the pressure of 

 business caused me to neglect the 

 matter. In two weeks that foot was 

 quite tender, dry, and hard, and very 

 sensibly contracted ; while the other, 

 with its old thin shoe, was soft, large, 

 and healthy. I put on an ordinary 

 thin, flat shoe, with bearing surface at 

 the heels, a little convex. I poulticed 

 the foot two or three times to remove 22 



the inflammation and soften it \ and The ground surface of a 

 in a short time the foot was all right, SK'SjSS.^ 

 looking as healthy and strong as the 

 other. This past season I had a very intelligent horseman 

 in my class, who inquired as to the best way to shoe horses. 

 I told him to keep the feet natural, bring the heel to the 

 ground : if dry and hard, apply moisture, by tying wet rags 

 around the foot and stuffing. Said he, " That is just what I 

 do." "Then," said I, "your horses have good feet." 



